A punch toward success

Boxing can help youngsters improve

Boxing can help youngsters improve

December 11, 2005|JACOB SANDOCK Tribune Staff Writer

It should be no surprise to hear that Darryl Boykins, the Uniform Division Chief of the South Bend Police Department, is trying to start a new athletic program for the youth of South Bend. Boykins is currently the local coordinator for the United States Tennis Association multicultural tennis camp -- held every summer at Notre Dame -- and has been involved like no one else in terms of creating positive athletic programs for the kids of our city. But some time ago, when suggested to him to try and create an athletic program geared for the many Hispanic kids in the area, Boykins came across a new idea. "My concept was to start a boxing club for all kids in the area and to then take it a bit further than that," said Boykins. "We can all participate and volunteer our time to help mentor a kid and it just wasn't for the Hispanic kids, it's for all the kids. "I want it to be where every kid has the opportunity. The concept became to try and also get people from the community -- judges, South Bend Tribune reporters, police officers -- to help out and volunteer their time in each one of these functions that we'd be doing as we teach the kids boxing. "Whether it's jumping rope, free sparring and shadow boxing, or just holding a stopwatch and timing the kids in what they are doing." Boxing, Boykins said, is more than just a sport. It's an art form and something that can teach kids to better understand responsibility and self-control. In no other sport is it more clear that if you do not respect your opponent and if you do not have the proper self discipline, you're going to pay the price. "I think any type of sport that teaches discipline, that teaches self-control and that you have to respect everyone is good for the kids," he said. "It's an art and a mentality and that's why I think people should be more positive about something like this." It's more than just a concept now. Boykins has worked out all the liability issues with the city and has arranged for the police department to cover most of the funding. He's even had volunteers within his department come out of the woodwork. "I've had a number of police officers who volunteered and said they would help out, and I hadn't even put it out department-wide yet," Boykins said. "These are guys who just heard about it and said, 'Hey, we'd like to help.'" The plan is to hold sessions two days a week, from 3-5 or 5-7 p.m., to provide a safe place for kids to be able to strengthen themselves both mentally and physically. "We want to do this in a very unique way so that we make sure the kids get something out of it in terms of having a mentor and getting a workout," Boykins said. "Not so much about learning how to beat somebody up. It's just a way, I think, to help our community and to give our kids a place where they can have a safe haven and where we can give them something positive to do besides playing a new video game every five minutes. I think any chance to get them some exercise and some understanding of an art is a positive." Boykins understands that some people have a negative reaction to boxing, but that won't stop him from preaching the positives. "There's a stigmatism," Boykins said. "Everybody thinks, 'Oh, boxing is violent, that's not what we really want to be teaching our kids.' But I wanted to make a comparison -- because I've been in martial arts for a long time -- and stay away from the idea of kids trying to hurt each other and focus more on the discipline it can give a kid that can be positive." Boykins has laid out a framework for a set of rules and regulations that should keep anyone involved in the program from getting out of line. "We're going to have strict rules," he said. "No gang signs or gang activity, if you do it you're out. We have a written list of what I call my 'good 10,' 10 things you can't do. No spitting on the floor, no pushing and shoving, no cussing, no gang signs, no outside fighting -- if we find out a kid got into a fight outside the gym, you're done." Boykins did not go through each of his 'good 10' rules, but the message was clear. He will not tolerate shenanigans and he will not tolerate anyone who uses the art of boxing for ill purposes. The whole point of the program, Boykins said, is to use boxing for the betterment of South Bend's youth. "Our goal is to do a little bit of education in terms of tutoring with their homework and then to come out there and have mentors from all parts of the community to give them a good workout," he said. "If a kid happens to be a fantastic boxer if given a chance, we have enough with the Police Pal organization to be able to put that kid in an Olympic-type boxing program to give him a chance to better his career. But that's not really our goal. Our goal is to make them understand that there is an art to boxing and something to be gained from the discipline of it, and to have fun also." Boykins plans to involve people from all areas of the community in this effort, Judge Roland Chamblee, former pro boxer Harold Brazier and attorney Andre Gammage are among the names he mentions of people who would support the effort and volunteer their time to mentor the kids. "I think it would be a very positive program for all parts of the community, to be reaching out a little bit," Boykins said. "I kind of got this thing going, but I don't want this to become another police thing. I want my name to be forgotten after awhile. This is not a Chief Boykins thing, this is a South Bend thing; something that everybody in our South Bend community can buy into." There are hurdles to clear; for instance, the basic fact that Boykins has not yet found a place to host the club. He has been in discussions with local facilities, but nothing has been confirmed. Nevertheless, the chief is not one to be discouraged by such trivial deficiencies. Where there is will, there is a way, and Boykins' will is sturdier than an old oak tree. "We're going to find a location and try to make this happen," he said. "Hopefully a storefront where someone can volunteer the building, maybe even help us with the heat and water. Somewhere with the right facilities. We just have to get this out there and find a location. "We may have people call us up and say, 'Hey, I have a gym' or 'I have a storefront that's pretty big and you guys can use it.' That would be great. Right now, that's the only thing stopping me, I got everything done. All I need is a place to have the equipment delivered to."